Jillian Morris

My love for the water started at an early age and has continued to play an integral role in my adult life. As I traveled the globe for shark research and diving expeditions I was never without a camera. The collaboration of my love for the ocean and the ability to capture stunning images was a natural progression.

As a child my parents would have to drag me out of the ocean because I was literally turning blue. The Maine Coast provided hours of tide pool exploration and was where I took my first breath underwater on a regulator. I have migrated to warmer climates, but my love of the ocean has only strengthened.

I have grasped every opportunity possible to wrap my life in and around the ocean. I believe that it runs through my veins. Sharks have been my primary focus, consuming most of my time and energy. Without them our oceans will die. I have been fortunate enough to spend 1000s of hours in the water with these incredible creatures from remote parts of Western Australia to the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas. I have swum out of the cage with great whites at Isla Guadalupe, donned a chain mail suit to hand feed Caribbean reef sharks 40 ft below the surface and even kissed a few sharks (not on the mouth).

The goal of my work is to get as many people in the water with sharks as possible. This is the most powerful tool in changing the monster perception that society has of these animals. Looking into the eye of a 15 ft tiger shark will change your life. I want to continue creating media that educates the world about the importance of the ocean environment. Images are powerful tools that speak all languages and transcend barriers and I hope that mine inspire others to slip beneath the surface and explore the incredible underwater world, anxious to have their own life changing experience.